The Afterlife of Holly Chase

by Cynthia Hand

Overview

Before I Fall meets “bah, humbug” in this contemporary YA reimagining of A Christmas Carol from New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand.

On Christmas Eve five years ago, seventeen-year-old Holly Chase was visited by three Ghosts who showed her how selfish and spoiled she’d become. They tried to convince her to mend her ways. She didn’t. And then she died.

Now she’s stuck working for the top-secret company Project Scrooge—as their latest Ghost of Christmas Past. So far, Holly’s afterlife has been miserable. But this year’s Scrooge is different. This year’s Scrooge might change everything…

The Afterlife of Holly Chase is a witty, poignant, and insightful novel about life, love, and seizing second (or third) chances, perfect for readers who loved Before I Fall or Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062318503
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	10/24/2017
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	520,274
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.40(d)
Age Range:	13 Years

About the Author

Cynthia Hand is the New York Times bestselling author of several books for teens, including the Unearthly trilogy, The Afterlife of Holly Chase, The Last Time We Say Goodbye, and My Lady Jane and My Plain Jane (with fellow authors Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows). She currently resides in Boise, Idaho, with her husband, who loves typewriters as much as she does, two cats, two kids, one crazy dog, and a mountain of books. Visit her online at www.cynthiahandbooks.com.

Editorial Reviews

09/04/2017
Holly Chase, the spoiled daughter of a Hollywood director, was visited by three spirits in an attempt to save her soul, but she failed to repent and died soon after. Now Holly is in her fifth year as the Ghost of Christmas Past at Project Scrooge, a company devoted to redeeming “one person who has gone astray in life” each year through Christmas Carol–style interventions. Holly is resigned to her life in corporate limbo until she spots this year’s Scrooge: a 17-year-old hottie who reminds her of her former self. Going off script, Holly secretly befriends Ethan, kicking off a screwball romance. Hand (the Unearthly trilogy) puts a quirky contemporary spin on the Dickens classic. If the story occasionally gets muddled by the mix of paranormal elements, time travel, and gadgetry, Holly’s sharp-edged narration entertains throughout. Ages 13–up. Agent: Katherine Fausset, Curtis Brown. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

Darkly funny. Save the coal and hand this to the Christmas spirit doubters.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

PRAISE FOR THE LAST TIME WE SAY GOODBYE: “A quietly powerful, emotionally complex novel that will echo with readers long after it is finished. Both shatteringly painful and bright with life and hope.

Booklist (starred review)

12/01/2017
Gr 8 Up—The classic tale of Scrooge in a YA romance package readers will love. The story follows Holly Chase, a beautiful, rich, and very mean-spirited 17-year-old girl. Holly is visited by the classic ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future but does not heed their warnings. After her untimely death a few days later, Holly is not completely dead: she is now the ghost of Christmas past. She works for a company called "Project Scrooge" that reenacts Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol each year to try and save a soul. When the new Scrooge for the year is revealed, Holly can't keep her eyes off of the handsome Ethan Winters. She must decide what is best for her, Ethan, and Project Scrooge. Taking on a classic is a tall order, but Hand does it well. The author adds many original quotes from the source material, a nice nod to Dickens that might inspire young readers to pick up his work. The romance between Holly and Ethan takes center stage through the middle of the story to set up for the twist ending that will keep readers guessing. A strong message that people can change, along with a call for kindness in humanity, rings throughout the narrative as well. VERDICT A heartwarming holiday romance to get teens in the spirit of the season. A definite title to be shared where classic retellings, like Lost by Gregory Maguire or the original Dickens tale, are popular.—Elizabeth Pelayo, St. Charles East High School, IL

School Library Journal

A good-spirited story from beyond the grave.

ALA Booklist

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